1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to printer assemblies and more particularly to a housing cover for printer assemblies.
2. Prior Art
Automatic, and semi-automatic printers such as text terminal hard copy printers, data printers or the like, are frequently designed such that either single sheet or continuous paper can be utilized by the printer. When the device is being used as a data printer, continuous paper is predominately utilized. In such instances, the printer is generally completely covered by a cover member which extends over the platen except for a narrow paper exit slot. Such covers are used to reduce otherwise disturbing noise propagation.
However, when it is desired to utilize the text printer with individual sheets, either the cover has to be opened to expose the platen or the cover has to be initially provided with an additional feed slot for insertion of the single sheets. Such additional feed slots reduce the noise dampening effect of the cover when utilized in the continuous paper mode and, of course, the necessity to remove covers not provided with additional feed slots is both disruptive of efficient utilization of the printer and substantially eliminates the possibility of any noise dampening when using single sheets.
Furthermore, when utilizing single sheets, it is necessary to provide guide means on the printer to facilitate proper insertion of the paper sheet and in order to guarantee undisrupted paper transport. However, such guide means are generally not needed for continuous paper where a tractor mechanism assures proper paper feed, or where paper feed is aligned by means of guide members specifically provided for continuous sheet.
It would therefore be an advance in the art of printer mechanism design and construction to provide a housing cover for such printers which is optimumly operated with both continuous and single sheet paper and which is designed such that in addition to operation with continuous paper, a simple mechanism is provided for insertion of single sheets while maintaining a cover design providing optimum noise restraint.